The present invention relates generally to a freestanding modular wall system suitable for use as an exhibit display, or a room partition, and more particularly to a novel modular panel interconnection for simplifying the assembly process while achieving adjustable panel positioning across the entire length of the freestanding unit.
Portable displays have found wide usage in today's business environment, particularly with respect to businesses which participate in conventions, trade shows, seminars and other such events. Due to the nature of this application, portable displays are typically assembled and disassembled by a limited number of persons at the exhibition site. Thus, a basic design requisite of such portable display devices is a minimizing of weight and structural complexity, coupled with a maximizing of durability and aesthetic appearance. Generally, known portable display devices sacrifice one of these design factors in favor of another, i.e., known systems which are durable and attractive are also cumbersome, heavy and complicated assembly, or known systems which are lightweight and easy to assemble lack sufficient durability to withstand constant assembly and disassembly.
Another desirable design factor for portable displays emphasizes an ability to create a variety of different display configurations with a single portable display unit. Known portable displays have achieved variability in display configuration by way of a modular construction utilizing a plurality of panels, which are either rigidly fastened together in the desired configuration, or interconnected with a series of corresponding hinges to permit adjustable positioning of the panels into a desired configuration. However, known modular portable displays are generally unsatisfactory because the rigid or hinged interconnecting of the respective display panels adds weight and expense from the necessary joining structure, requires added structural reinforcement of each panel to accommodate the joining structure, provides an unaesthetic appearance, and increases the set-up time and complexity of the assembly process.
Furthermore, hinged interconnections are highly susceptible to wearage such as bending or breaking, which subsequently causes misalignment of the display panels. Such wearage further increases the cost of the display due to the inherent need for replacing the worn components.